Centrifugal juice extractor having a rotary grater



CENTRIFUGAL JUICE EXTRACTOR HAVING A ROTARY GRATER Filed Oct. 4, 1946 Feb.- 13, 1 51 J. M. MEIER ET AL 2 Sheets-Sheet l A TTQENEVS Feb. 13, 1951 J. M. MEIER ETAL CENTRIFUGAL JUICE EXTRACTOR HAVING A ROTARY GRATER Filed Oct. 4, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ws/vra/es JEPH M. ME/EIQ ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 13, 1951 CENTRIFUGAL JUICE EXTRACTOR HAVING A ROTARY GRATER Joseph M. Meier, Milwaukee, and Sylvester L. Wheeler, Wauwatosa; Wis., assignors, by mesne assignments, to Hans Behnke, Milwaukee, Wis.

Application October 4, 1946, Serial No. 701,170

fruits and vegetables may be grated, without.

maceration, and the finely grated materials delivered promptly to a centrifugal extractor whereby juices freed by the grating operation may be separated from the pulp and discharged.

More specifically, it is an object of the invention to provide a novel and improved construction in which a conical grater is employed in a manner leaving the grater fully exposed for cleaning.

I Other objects of the invention will be more readily apparent after the invention is disclosed. -In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view in vertical axial section through apparatus embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a view in perspective on a somewhat reduced scale showing the external appearance of a. device made in accordance with this invention. Fig. 3 is a view showing in perspective the slightly separated cover and rotor assembly.

Fig. 4 is a view partially in plan and partially in section showing the rotor on the scale of Fig. 1.

The pulp receptacle 5 comprises a base for the apparatus and a support for the motor 6. The

motor armature shaft 1 carries a fitting at 8 havcone l5 provided at spaced points throughout its periphery with inclined blades having saw teeth. In practice, we may use four such blades spaced at 90, as best shown in Figs. 1 and 4.

The cone [5 is located above the level of the centrifuge screen [2 where all portions of the cone are accessible for cleaning. The cone and centrifuge and the intervening spider H are connected for unitary handling and are applied to and removed from the fitting 8 as a unit, the spider having a central opening complementary in form to the non-circular projection 9 of fitting 8.

Surrounding the lower part ofthe centrifugal strainenlz is an annular juice collecting pan l1 Irom which opens spout I8. The pan I1 is 8 Claims. (Cl. 14676) marginally connected to the casing wall l9, as by spinning a channel 25 peripherally about the wall [9 in which the margin of the annular juice collecting pan I! is engaged. At its top, the wall 19 is formed inwardly and provided with a downward flange at 2| to receive the cover 25. We have found it convenient to make the cover 25 of a'casting. Integrally cast with it is a feed chute 26 which preferably extends at a substantial angle to the vertical toward cone l5 upon which the grating cutters it are mounted. The projected cross section of the feed chute 26 corresponds in transverse dimensions to the projected length of the respective cutters It so that any material delivered into the feed chute 26 will be engaged by the cutters when the cone I5 is rotated by the motor.

Carried by the feed chute 26 from the cover 25 is a conical bafiie 28 which may conveniently be held by screw 29 to a flange 30 on the feed chute. This bafile fits closely about the cone so that the path described by the cutters [6 in their rotation with the cone is very close to the inner wall of the baffle 28. Below the cone, the baille 28 is provided with a skirt 32 against which the material grated by the cutters I5 is delivered in the course of cone rotation. This material is caused by accumulations behind it to feed over the lower margin of stationary skirt 32 and thence into the centrifugal strainer l2. As the strainer rotates .at high speed, the material moves outwardly and downwardly across the strainer, the

the receptacle 5.

To guide the baffle 28 to its position about the cone, the cover 25. ispreferably provided with a flange '33 whichfits within the flange 2| of Wall I9 and is telescopically engaged therein as the baffle approaches its final position in respect of the cone.

The base receptacle 5 is preferably provided at 34 with a bail which holds the parts in assembly. The cover has at 35 a guide plate over which the bail slides with a camming action until it reaches a final position against the stop 36. In this position, the bail is under tension and the cover and wall 59 are firm y bound to the base receptacle 5. If the bail is pulled laterally downwardly over the wear plate from the position shown in Fig. 2, the cover will be released and ma be bodily removed to fully expose the cone I5 and cutters l6. If desired, the wall 19 and juice collecting pan: I! may also be unitarily removed, and the rotor comprising the cone l5 and centrifugal strainer l2 may then be unitarily withdrawn. Thus all portions of the apparatus are easily and fully exposed for convenient cleaning.

As an aid in manipulating the cover 25, we preferably form it to provide a recess 31 across which the wear plate 35 extends, whereby the wear plate also serves the function of a handle. the operators fingers being receivable into recess 31 when the handle is grasped.

We claim: V

1. In a device for extracting juice from vegetables and comprising an inverted centrifugal strainer having a top central opening, a spider disposed below the top of the strainer for the support thereof, power driven means for operating the spider and strainer, and separate housing elements operatively disposed for collecting juice passing through the strainer and pulp discharged downwardly therefrom, the combination of a generally conical grating head operatively connected to turn with said spider and disposed at a level above the level of the strainer, grating means comprising toothed blades carried by said head above the strainer level, a baflle closely fitted about said head and having a depending skirt extending below the level of the head into the top of the strainer for guiding into the strainer material grated by said head, said bailie having an opening for admitting material to said head to be grated by the teeth thereof.

The combination set forth in claim 1 in further combination with a closure for said housing and a feed chute opening through said closure and extending to the baffle aperture at an angle to the vertical.

3. The combination set forth in claim 2,

it to the feed chute to receive support therethrough from said closure, the closure having a sleeve telescopically engaged with the housing, whereby to guide said baffle in its relation to said head as the closure is applied to and removed from the housing.

- l. A grating device comprising in combination "a rotary strainer and a rotary grater having means connecting them coaxially and in axially ofiset relative positions, the connected strainer and grater being rotatable as a unit and the strainer having an open end adjacent which the grater is disposed, a motor having an operative driving connection to the strainer and grater,

and a stationary tubular baffle fitted externally about the grater and extending axially therefrom into the open end of the strainer, said bafile having a feed opening through which material to be grated may be exposed to said grater, said bafile being adapted to guide such material into the strainer. 5. In a device of the character described, the

combination with a rotary unit comprising an annular strainer having an open end and a coaxial grater smaller than the open end of the strainer and axially offset from the strainer, the said grater and strainer having means connecting them coaxially for unitary rotation, and means mounting said unit for rotation, of an annular bafile closely fitted about the grater and extending axially beyond the grater into the open end of the strainer, a feed chute opening through the baflie and upon which said baffle is mounted, and a fixed support remote from the bafile and upon which the feed chute is mounted for the support of the baffle.

6. In a device of the character described, the combination with a motor having a driving shaft, of a rotatable unit having means detachably connecting it for rotation with said shaft, said unit said baflie being provided with means securing comprising a rotary strainer having an open end and a grater axially ofiset from the said open end of the strainer and smaller in diameter than the opening in such end, a housing enclosing said motor and said unit and comprising a juice collector around the strainer, an annular bafile fixed to said housing and closely fitted externally about said grater and extending axially'from said grater into the open end of the strainer through said open end, whereby the non-rotatable bailie receives material from the rotary grater and guides such material into the axially offset rotatable strainer, the said baflle being provid d with a feed opening through which material to be grated can be exposed to said grater, and the offset position of the grater being such that it is substantially wholly exposed beyond thstraine when disassociated from said balile.

7. The device of claim 6 in which said housing comprises a base portion and a separable closure portion, the motor being mounted on one of said portions and the bafile being mounted on th other.

8. The device of claim 7 in which the baflie is mounted on the s parable closure portion and suspended therefrom by a communicating feed chute opening into the feed opening of the baffle and having an exterior opening through said closure portion.

JOSEPH M. MEIER. SYLVESTER L. WHEELER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Grau July 14, 19$2 

